Astypalaia: Strong Response and Great Interest in Children's and Adolescents' Mental Health

As part of its collaboration with the Mobile Medical Units (MMU) of the NGO Regeneration & Progress which began in the fall of 2025, the Children & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative (CAMHI) visited the island of Astypalaia from January 22 to 24, 2026.

The visit took place after rescheduling, as the original mission (January 9–12) had been postponed due to adverse weather conditions. The strong response and great interest shown by the local community confirmed the importance of CAMHI's in-person presence on the island.

Astypalaia, the westernmost island of the Dodecanese and a meeting point between the Cyclades and the Dodecanese, is a small island community of approximately 1,300 residents. In its main settlements — Chora, Livadi, Pera Gialos, and Maltezana — social ties are close, and education and health professionals are called upon to fill multiple roles, often with limited resources. The island also has a speech therapist, a fact that highlights how much every available professional matters for the support of children and families.

Ms Kapsimalli, presenting CAMHI's work to educators in Astypalaia

A few days before the originally scheduled visit, a serious incident created an immediate need for support within the school community. In response to a request, Efi Kapsimalli, Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist and member of CAMHI's Scientific Coordinating Committee — who later visited the island in person — held an online meeting with teachers on January 12 on the topic of managing loss and grief in the school setting, followed by a similar meeting for elementary school teachers on January 16. This timely intervention underscored the importance of ongoing presence and immediate responsiveness to the needs of remote communities.

The visit focused on raising awareness about CAMHI's training programs and broader work, strengthening local professionals who work with children, and building lasting collaborative relationships with the school, health, and social community.

Ms. Kapsimalli discussing with the medical and nursing staff of the Health Center about the training program on mental health screening for health professionals.

The following activities took place during the mission:

A meeting with all teachers of the Astypalaia Elementary School (12 participants), presenting CAMHI's general program and the school staff training program "Mental Health Literacy," along with a discussion about the challenges of everyday school life.
A meeting at the kindergarten with parents of preschool-age children, marked by strong interest and active participation, on the topic "The Impact of Parental Care on Children's Development (Ages 0–6)."
A meeting with the medical and nursing staff of the Health Center, presenting CAMHI and the mental health screening training program for health professionals.
A meeting with all teachers of the Junior-Senior High School (14 participants), presenting the "Mental Health Literacy" program for school staff and exchanging thoughts on the challenges of school life on the island.
A meeting with the Municipal Social Worker, addressing significant gaps in the diagnosis and coverage of mental health needs, as well as ongoing efforts to strengthen available services.
A meeting with the kindergarten staff (general and special education teachers and nursing staff), presenting CAMHI and sharing experiences from daily practice.

The experience in Astypalaia confirmed that in small, remote communities, mental health is directly tied to the cohesion of local society and the collaboration between schools, health services, and local organizations. Physical presence, timely response to critical needs, and the building of trust create the conditions for meaningful and lasting support.

"The joint efforts of CAMHI and the Mobile Medical Units of Regeneration & Progress represent one more step toward reducing inequalities in access to mental health prevention and care services for children and adolescents, ensuring that even the most remote island communities are not left without support," noted Ms. Kapsimalli.

CAMHI's program is developed and implemented by a nationwide network of public-sector mental health organizations and professionals, in collaboration with the Child Mind Institute (New York) and with the support of the Ministry of Health. The Children & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative is supported exclusively by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) as part of the SNF's Global Health Initiative (GHI).
The Mobile Medical Units (MMU) are an initiative undertaken by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) in collaboration with the Health Units S.A. (AEMY S.A.), within the framework of the National Primary Health Care Program, implemented by the NGO Regeneration & Progress under the scientific supervision of the 1st Orthopedic Clinic of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.